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These 3 cortinas were in the car display near the pits
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Hi Nigel, Some fantastic shots there. We had some great races there and a great selection of cars. Any more still to come !!
Cheers
Some of mine are 1985... these were great meetings.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...cevicVolvo.jpg
This one's 1985 - who could forget the excitement of the Swedish Taxi in the hands of Michelle Delcourt?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...Nissan5002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ssan500852.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...obil500861.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...overNiss85.jpg
Neat photos guys. I always liked that Jim Keogh 635. Was a nice looking car with the maroon and gold colours. I think that was an ex-JPS car from earlier in the '85 season.
The Sierra XR4Ti was an exciting car that never really lived up to the hype downunder. It was built and raced by Andy Rouse in the '85 BTCC, and actually won the BTCC in '85, despite having to miss the first race due to it not having been homologated. It was both quick and reliable in the BTCC, but neither in NZ. It took pole at the '86 Wellington Street Race, but was outpaced by Francevic in the Volvo and Brock in the Commodore, before it broke. Neville Crichton raced an XR4Ti in the early rounds of the '87 ATCC. was this the same car? Where is it now?
How about a video of the 1986 ETCC race at Donington showing many of the same cars
http://www.megavideo.com/?d=T7BZZIDI
note you will have to click the RED play button and then the GREEN play button
(I have all the rest of that season on video as well... Spa, BRNO, etc... sorry about the quality, bit pixellated but thats all I had at the time. Since then Ive got the actual VHS tape and could redo them better sometime.
Neat video Brett. 1986 was really the last great year of Group A. The manufacturer involvement was widespread, and there were teams from Rover, Ford, BMW, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes Benz, and Holden, and most of the cars were fairly evenly matched. But 1987 saw Ford step things up with the new Sierra Cosworth, then the RS500, and although the Eggenberger team were really the only ones to get both speed and reliability out of those cars in 87, by 1988 if you didn't have an RS500, you didn't have a shot at winning.
Nigel, do you have any photos of Commodore 15 (black) from Nissan Mobil Puke
Sorry Rod but I can't find one. I was shooting film then and had to make a couple of films last the whole day!!
That gold AC&B Commodore of Ray Smith and Denny Hulme was sold to Graeme Crosby in early 1986, and Croz raced it with some success in the '86 ATCC, finishing 7th in the championship. He picked up Bob Jane T-Mart sponsorship and the car was painted bright orange. It was found and restored some years ago and the owner chose the Croz guise over the AC&B guise, despite the former World Champion link which goes to show the popularity of the colourful Crosby in Aus.
I spoke to Croz a few months ago at his book launch about the Bob Jane sponsorship and was surprised to learn the package didn't include any money, only free tyres. Croz was happy with the arrangement though, but said he had to throw in the towel in early 1987, as it was just too expensive to compete.
Just loved doing the Nissan Moble races at Wellington and Puke. Brian Friend shared the driving with me in # 44 Corolla which was changed to te Pinepac Mustang a few years later. Was the start of many many long distant enduros for me....love and still do. Interesting little snippet here is Arman Aharn in one of the Chocolate Slab Rovers wanted me to "shunt" him back to the pits in Wellington. Ha I told him it would be great exposure for my sponsors but he would have been excluded for getting outside assistance. First met the Late and Great Tom Wilkinshaw and what a Jack the Lad he was....had a lot of good laughs with him. His co driver Win Percy was so helpful with tips for our Toyota as he has previously raced one......great pix. Kind Regards, Tony Rutherford.